Memories in the Amul tin

I still remember
the Amul tin
with a cute baby
smiling on it

My mother said
my little sister was in it
when she left me at two,
to stop my crying

I used to say
she was in the tin
whenever someone asked,
and the tin was with me
day and night

I dropped a portion of biscuits
and the other baby foods in it
for my little sister
as and when my mother fed me
(my mother would take away
those things later
to keep me impressed
that my vive was still there
and was having them like me)
I continued my feeding…

I also put on the tin
her baby dresses
(mother used to sprinkle
water on them
for keeping me engaged
to change her dresses
as and when she did for me)
and I took the tin under my blanket
whenever arrived the rain with thunder bolts

My mother used to apply
kaajal and bindiya on her
and on me as well
(I prevented my mother
from those beautifications
when I was promoted
to Upper primary)

Many years went by
One day mother asked me
about my childhood obstinacies
my memory failed to reach there
but my mother
kept on working
her strategy behind me
as I grew up,
but in matured way:
she still conceals the baby dresses
somewhere in my pillows
and somewhere in my mattress
to keep my memories in the Amul tin afresh
and her baby dresses still intact…

From Carpathian to Kalliyankaatu- Part 2

“Don’t worry, I will get you something:
a nail proof garment for Neeli
and a cross proof overcoat for you”
“From the same manufacturer
that made the bullet proof for Mumbai cops?”
“No.. no.. no.. it is corruption proof”
“Why can’t you request the government
to provide me security cover?”
He implored.
“Everything has been allocated
for the VIPs and the VIPs alike”
“excuse meee….,
what the other VIPs stand for?”
“Vested Interest Personnel”
“Oh I see, that is why
they dish out all the absurdities
in the public with no fear”
His statement surprised me
“Have you had the blood
of an Indian journo recently?”
“Not at all. why?”
“Good knowledge of Indian politics, too;
Anyhow, I cannot request the government,
shortage of letters is the problem”
“I don’t get you,”
“After Z, there is no letter in English”
“Then the govt. should think well
to categorize under regional alphabets”
shsh… slowly,
regional politicians have many ears”
“yes, you are right,
but the categories can rise up
to more than twenty six”
Suddenly his mobile rang with:
Nisheedhineee…nisheedhineeee…
Oh! what a mellifluous song
rendered by the skylark Janaki Amma!
He seemed to enjoy the transition:
from the electrifying English BGM
to the melody.
This is called real love
With this ringtone download,
I sensed his deep love for Neeli.
Now it is my turn
to make their wish fulfil
I asked:
“When you changed to melody?”
That question was not expected
He was shocked
“The day Christopher Lee died”
He took the tissue paper
and wiped his eyes
“Yes dear, Lee was the real promoter
and the Ambassador of your empire”
“Even Ramsay brothers
could not make any impact,
many horror characters created though.”
He heaved a long sigh
“She was on the phone
and was concerned about me
since I arrived in Bombay”
“No, say Mumbai, tigers are there”
“I like your dedication
towards wild life conservation”
“according to numerology,
changes in name bring in fortunes”
“but progress and prosperity
come by a dedicated team work”
He showed me a video clipping
on his mobile:
I saw, around the world
people dilute their doctrines
to suit every human being
to survive as human beings…
“you are taking lessons
from human beings, too?”
“There are good human beings
in the world, a lot;
else, I could have conquered
the world;
look what Neeli has mailed,
while living on the palm
she found something:
the essence of democracy
in the coconut”
I read her mail:
... democracy is like coconut,
go through the green and hard shells
only to reach the tender coconut
and sweet water.
To reach real democracy
one needs hard work and tolerance
(continued…)

From Carpathian to Kalliyankaatu Part 1

At midnight
Somebody knocked
At my door
I opened the door
And pointed at the left side:
“Calling bell is there
just press it
instead of hammering on”…
“You know, I am Dracula”
He said
“So what?” no manners for Dracula?
“May I come in, sir”
“Hmmm”.
He sat against me
in the sofa
“Sir, this is my schedule
to reach Kalliyankattu Neeli”
He showed me his file
with many e (vil) mails
between him and her
“How can a devil like you
enter into Gods own country”
“I know Neeli is still
nailed to the palm tree there”
“and remember, it was done by
the famous Namboothiris”
“at any cost
I have to celebrate with her
this Valentine day, sir”
I took the map of the cemetries
From Mumbai to Kerala
“it is very far
and you have to adjust with
the dilapidated graves
on the way for daylight rest
and no harm to people, ok"
“of course, see the locations
of the blood banks in India”
“oh I see, food centers are already
stored in detail”
“I just wonder about
your fearless attitude”
He said
“are you out to flatter me”
“No, sir”
“Hey Count Dracula,
do you know
that I am living with
daylight draculas here?”
“Daylight draculas!!!”
“Yes they do in the light what
you do in the dark”
“From the throat
by both the teeth?”
“from the whole body
by all the teeth”
“oh horrible”
“at least you drink
but they shed”
“Oh that is cruel”
“imagine, if they die
and become ghosts,
how frieghtening their images
would be!”
Dracula looked at the mirror
and heaved a sigh:
“I am still handsome”
“but they will be in
unimaginable figures
yet to be included
in the lexicon”
Dracula seems to be scared
“sir, who are they?”
“the fundamentalists”
then I have to leave
before the daybreak,”
“why”
“they don’t even spare me, sir”
(continued…)

The Great Betrayer

Repenting,
Judas Iscariot sits on the rock,
shifting looks at the coins
scattered around him;
I did the great betrayal
he whispers;
no one could offer me
thirty one silver coins
to hire me to save His life

I intervened:
Relax, Judas
Peter never says
that if he had known about
the roost crowing three times,
he would have cooked it
before the last supper began;
something prewritten
cannot be rewritten;
see, I can also hire you
with a few more extra coins,
because you are in front of me,
but beware of him:
the all time great betrayer,
no one knows when and how
he comes behind us.

Judas relaxes,
and packs his things
to go to Akeldama
before arrives Brutus…

Conscience

Mary Magdalene runs amok
and finally reaches where Jesus stands;
Jesus Christ looks at the crowd
and says:
Whoever has committed sins
shall throw the stones;
People one by one
drop their stones.

Wondered, I kneel before Jesus:
Oh! Jesus Christ,
What prompted you
to alter your old statement?
My dear son, if not changed,
She would have been buried
by the stones by now;
the alliance between
the people and their conscience
then and now
are entirely different;
now I know very well,
that they hardly admit one thing:
their mistakes, my dear son…